Love apples are a great dessert recipe and an inspiring gift for the ones you love. They are very easy to prepare and a delicious choice when you have a sweet tooth; especially when fruits are exactly what you need for your health and good tonus.
You’ll need:
* 4 apples
* 4 wood sticks
* 1 and 1/2 cup lump sugar
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 teaspoon food color (red)
* 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
* 1 teaspoon apple vinegar
* 3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar
Wash the apples and dry them in a towel. In every apple push a wood stick on the stalk spot.
Spread the granulated sugar on a dinner plate.
Mix the lump sugar, water, food color, vanilla essence and vinegar in a pot and bring to boil. When the temperature of the composition reach 300 ÌŠF, remove the pot from the oven and place it in a pot filled with cold water.
Sink the apples in the sugar composition one by one, until every one of them has a thick coat of glaze.
Place the apples on the granulated sugar plate with the wood sticks upward and leave them until they’re dried and cooled.
Special tips:
* If you want to offer love apples as a gift, wrap them in cellophane foil and tie them with colorful strings and ribbons.
* Love apples can make a great and unique Valentine’s Day gift as well. Place the apples in an occasion metal box and cover them in waxed paper.
* The glazed fruits are very sensitive at heat. It is best to be kept in a cool room or refrigerated.
What happens when you wake up one morning and your hair is a mess and its oomph is gone? I know, you want to break the mirror, but it would be seven years of bad luck and you won’t allow that to happen. So, here is what you can do instead.
* If you want to fight back that attack of the frizz, the best way to do that is to use a frizz-fighting balm. Put a small amount into your palm and smooth over the annoying fuzziness. It’s a good idea to carry it in your bag so you can use it when needed.
* Do you have dark roots? Try a zig zag parting of the hair to distract from your dark roots. Spraying some hair powder in blondish is another good idea. If these ideas don’t work for you, try a stylish hat as a momentary solution.
* Do you think that your blond hair is brassy and discolored? Squeeze some tomato juice or ketchup on your hair. Really! Massage it on your dry hair and leave it for at least 10 minutes then wash out. It will tone down the green.
* Is your hair static? Glide a big powder brush misted with hairspray over static hair. It will work perfectly at taming your hair and your style will be back.
* For hair-dye stains use tan-removing wipes to clean the stained area and get rid of the dye. In the future remember to apply a little moisturizing or Vaseline over the tips of your ears and around your hairline to prevent the dye staining.
* Too short blunt fringe? Just ask your stylist to make some tiny vertical snips in it. This will make it easier to wear.
* If your hair is deflated blow-dry, just spray a little mist of water all over it. This will reactivate it and it will give back its oomph.
These easy steps will make your hair look better and wake up your style for a wonderful spring season.
This soufflé recipe is a light meal and can always accompany your steak or sausage. If you don’t fancy it as garnish, you can always serve it as entree with other such types. It is an easy recipe to prepare and you’ll be surprised at the end with a great taste that will delight your gustative papillae.
Ingredients:
* 2 small cauliflowers
* 1/2 lb fat free sour cream
* 4 eggs
* 1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
* 2 tablespoons parmesan
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* a pinch of black pepper
* a pinch of fresh cut dill
Cut the cauliflowers into little bouquets and wash them. In the meantime, in a medium pot boil 2 cups of water mixed with a teaspoon of sea salt.
When the water is boiling, sink the cauliflower bouquets for 10 minutes. Then drain the water and let the cauliflower cool on a large plate.
When the cauliflower is cool enough, cut it in smaller pieces and put them in a large bowl. Stir in the sour cream, eggs, salt, pepper, dill and the cheddar cheese. Mix all together.
In an oven safe tray or pot add one tablespoon olive oil and grease it. Spread some bread crumbs on the greased surface and add the mixed composition.
Heat the oven to 375 ̊ F. Sprinkle some parmesan on the top of the soufflé and put it in the oven. Cook it for 35-40 minutes or until it turns golden-brown. Let it cool 10 minutes before serving.
Enjoy it warm as garnish or cold as entree with sour cream on top. A glass of Chardonnay or Pinot Noir will match perfectly.
Special tips:
* If you’re not a big cauliflower fan you can change it with broccoli and proceed the same way. If you don’t like broccoli either, you really have a problem 
* This soufflé recipe is a great meal for weight loss diets, but be careful with the sour cream and cheese. Choose fat free ingredients.
 
If you’re feeling that your imagination regarding Easter dessert menu is not giving you the best ideas ever, here is what you might want to try. This cookies recipe is easy to prepare and could be a great treat for your family, friends and kids on Easter Day.
You’ll need:
*2 cups all-purpose flour
*8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate morsels
*4-5 eggs
*1 cup granulated sugar
*1 teaspoon orange extract
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1 tablespoon orange peel
*1 cup unsalted melted butter
*powdered sugar
*oval or egg-shaped madeleine baking pans
Combine flour and 1 cup morsels in a medium bowl. Beat eggs in a large mixer bowl. Add the granulated sugar, orange peel, vanilla and orange extract. Add flour mixture and butter alternately into egg mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
Preheat oven to 350 ÌŠF. Grease and flour the madeleine baking pans.
With a tablespoon pour the batter into each prepared mold. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let them cool in pans for 2 minutes then with the tip of a knife release onto wire racks. While still warm, sprinkle the cookies very lightly with powdered sugar and let them cool completely.
Wash the pans and repeat the action with the remaining batter.
Microwave the remaining morsels until smooth. Cut a small hole in corner of a plastic food storage bag, pour inside the smooth chocolate paste and squeeze to drizzle over egg-shaped cookies.
Allow chocolate to cool before serving. Enjoy it!
With the spring arrival your make-up needs a special attention too. But you won’t need a make-up artist to tell you what is the best way to fix little beauty emergencies and to give your pretty face the perfect look back. It’s all about the little secrets and here they are.
* Do you think that you have too much blusher? Dust some translucent powder over your cheeks to tone it down. Don’t use make-up remover, it will make a mess of your foundation.
* Got those dark circles and puffy eyes in the morning? Put some cold, used tea bags over your eyes for one minute. They will be deflated rapidly. Then use a concealer in a lighter tone than the one of your skin.
* Got a foundation meltdown? Make it last longer by using a primer underneath. It will be like an invisible protection between your skin and the foundation.
* Do you have dried-out mascara? Just sink it in a cup of hot water for a few minutes. You’ll get back your mascara without those annoying dried bits and you’ll be able to give your eyes that dramatic oversized lash look.
* Do you think that your make-up is smudged? Use cleansing buds for a quick fix. They contain eye make-up remover that will get rid of smudges and your face will regain its sparkling beauty.
* Did your eye-shadow color fade by the end of the day? You can always keep it handy for touch-ups or use a long-lasting shadow that will last all day. You want your make-up to survive the day, don’t you?
With these simple steps you’ll be able to overcome those annoying moments and give your face the perfect look. Have a wonderful spring season!
Believe it or not, small and simple changes like these can help you lose weight, improve, prolong life and have a positive impact on your health. You’ll discover the surprisingly easy tips for a total health makeover in the following lines.
You’ll need:
*desire to live, feel and look great
Studies found that persons who eat yogurt daily lose more body fat than those who don’t eat any. The calcium from yogurt helps you burn fat stored on your belly and thighs. So, indulge yourself and eat your daily yogurt!
If you are a wine lover, find out that the red wine from Chile gives you a bigger percent of cancer-fighting flavonols than any other red wine. So, it’s time to savor a Chilean red wine that matches perfectly your tasty dinner.
You want to sleep like a baby again? Try Valerian! It’s very easy to find in any health store near you and it’s clinically proven to work for eight of ten people. It’s very important to get a good night sleep. So, if you have insomnia problems, try Valerian supplements and your problem will be solved.
Choose tuna for lunch instead of ham. This way you’ll reduce the risk of getting heart diseases.
Exercise a little every day. Make time for it! It’s very important for your health and body tonus. Pilates training is ideal because it works all of your body muscles. Try jogging, cycling, swimming, walking your dog or any other form of exercise you love.
Worry less! That voice of insecurity whispering in your ear, fight back and win! If you experience stress (who doesn’t nowadays?) try to reduce caffeine and other stimulants, alcohol, noise and consider quitting smoking, in case you still have that habit.
Eat dark chocolate instead of any other because contains a lot of antioxidants. This will be perfect for chocolate lovers.
Get back in shape at last! Instead of three meals a day, try eating more easy meals and healthy snacks. Eat every two, three hours and don’t let yourself get hungry. Hydrate a lot by drinking water and other healthy liquids.
Elevate your sex life! There’s nothing wrong with adding a little adventure and fun to spice up your love life. Consider a striptease, talking about your favorite sexual fantasies, making out like teenagers; these are only some ideas that might bring back the flame. Have fun together, you and your partner, because fun is the best aphrodisiac ever existed.
Even Valentine’s Day is gone, you don’t need special days to surprise your family with a great, funny and tasty breakfast. The heart-shaped muffins are very easy to prepare and you can make it your weekend’s breakfast fun, especially if you have children around; they will love to help you with the cooking activity. This recipe also gives you endless possibilities; you can always improvise and get inspired by adding your favorite spices, fruits and nuts.
You’ll need:
* 2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1/2 cup granulated sugar
* 1/4 cup brown sugar
* 2 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3/4 cup milk
* 2 eggs
* 1/4 cup melted butter
* 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon or orange peel
* 1 cup ground pecans or walnuts
* 1 and ½ fresh blueberries
* heart-shaped muffin cups (oven safe)
Preheat oven to 350-375 ÌŠF. Grease the muffin cups and add a little flour on the bottom of the form.
Combine flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Add the milk, the lightly beaten eggs, butter, and lemon or orange peel.
Stir in pecans or walnuts and blueberries. Mix all together.
Spoon into prepared muffin heart-shaped cups, filling almost full.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until you insert a wooden pick in the center of the muffin and comes out clean.
Let them cool in pans for 5 minutes and then remove and allow cooling slightly.
Enjoy them with a hot cup of café latté or hot chocolate. They can be also a great evening snack accompanied by a glass of milk.
Special tips:
You can use all kinds of berries. If you cannot find them fresh, you can always use frozen berries.
You can add toppings if you want to make your muffins look even better.
If you don’t like berries, you may consider dried, dehydrated fruits.
The Oscars ceremony is one of the greatest motion picture awards presentations. The Academy Awards ceremony will be seen in many countries worldwide and the next presentation, the 80th, will be, as expected, transmitted live on television and will make the greatest event on February 2008. If you are one of the many of us who love the Oscars and want to watch and comment the best moments with your dear friends, here is a great party idea that will match perfectly with the refined ceremony.
You’ll need:
• stylish pajamas
• imagination
• TV
• confidence
• friends who go crazy about the Oscars
The Outfit
It’s easier to create one than it would be for a real Academy Awards ceremony, that’s for sure. Tell your friend guests to dress in fancy silk and satin pajamas or in long, elegant nightgowns, Hollywood style. Don’t forget to spice it up by wearing great matching accessories for the big night, like shawls, feathers, earrings, bracelets and mini purses in fancy colors.
The Decor
You know that the red carpet is the central piece and the delight of the ceremony, right? You may improvise a red carpet, like a long red blanket or a sheet to welcome your invitees in style. Arrange some nice blankets, in red, golden, white and black on the chairs and couch, where you’ll be watching the show. Use big golden candles to create even a greater atmosphere. Light them in tall, transparent vases; you’ll create a special lights and shades scene.
Food and Drinks
Organize a Swedish buffet. Arrange cocktail finger food with dipping, mini cupcakes, sushi and sashimi on ample plateaus. Be sure you have napkins in matching colors (red, golden). Don’t use plastic plates; it’s a special night, entrees plates would match perfectly. Complement the food with interesting cocktails. Use pomegranate or tomato juice to obtain a red color drink. Champagne is also appropriate. For dessert arrange spherical chocolate bonbons covered in golden aluminum foil in transparent glass bowls. It will give a great sense of occasion.
Entertainments
It’s the night of entertainment by definition, but you need to personalize it as much as you can. Comment with your friends the red carpet activity from the live ceremony (who’s coming, what everyone is wearing); it’s a delightful and gossipy moment. Prepare yourself for this event; find out in advance the nominees and place bets with your friends. Establish a prize for every guessed category (movie tickets, popcorn bowl and fashion magazines).
Special tips:
• take pictures to capture the moment. Later, you can frame the photographs, add movie like themes and quotations from the party.
• if you really want to declare a night of festivities, you can also decorate the house with bouquets of red roses. With this type of decorations you’ll let your invitees speechless.
• it is recommendable to have one of those High Definition TV-s, you’ll have the amazing reality sensation and you’ll feel like you are part of the Oscars Ceremony.
And the winner is…
The French toast is a simple and fast recipe to prepare. Maybe you have your house full for the holidays and you need to come up with an easy to prepare plan for breakfast. This recipe is the perfect idea for the holiday next day breakfast - and guess what, might keep the kids busy too.
Serves 10:
• 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• 8 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 loaves French bread
Cut the bread into ten 1†thick slices. Pour the milk in a medium pot and warm it up a little, but do not boil it. If the milk is warm, the bread will absorb it better. In a bowl, beat eggs and add salt, sugar, cinnamon and the gently warmed milk. Stir until all the ingredients are well mixed. One by one, dip the bread slices in the milk and egg mixture. Turn to coat well on both sides.
Butter two frying pans and place as many slices as you can. Fry on both sides until are golden brown. Repeat with the remaining bread. Serve with maple syrup, bee honey or with orange marmalade. Many people enjoy their French toast with fried eggs and bacon. Add some orange juice and coffee and your breakfast is ready.
Special tips:
The French toast may be also baked instead of fried, if you prefer it that way. Preheat the oven to 375â°, generously butter two sheet pans and bake for 10 minutes, then turn slices and bake for 10 more minutes or until both sides are golden brown.
Don’t be afraid to involve the kids in obtaining this delicious recipe. They will love it!
This is a very easy to prepare recipe for a crowd, so make your late morning holiday breakfast a funny and joyful activity.
Holiday parties may be a really challenge when it comes to cooking. The cheese and fruit plateau is a delight for every invitee and very easy to prepare. Here is what you need and the easy steps to follow for achieving the delightful dessert.
What you need:
* Gorgonzola Cheese
* Cedar cheese
* Stilton cheese
* Camembert cheese
* Swiss cheese
* Brie cheese
* fresh apples
* fresh grapes
* fresh pears
Cut the cheese into little slices. Proceed the same way with the apples and pears. Don’t forget to remove the stalk.
Arrange the grapes, the sliced apples and pears in the middle of a big plateau.
Use the different types of cheese to decorate the margins of the plateau. Et voilà , your delicious dessert is ready.
If you have a cocktail party instead of dinner party, it would be recommended to use appetizers picks to unite the slices of cheese with the fruits. This way it will be much easier for your guests to serve themselves.
Useful tips:
Use a sharp knife to cut the cheese in perfect slices.
Cut the fruits after you’ve done cutting the cheese and serve immediately. Otherwise the fruit will change its fresh looking color.
Complement this cheese and fruit plateau with a glass of dessert wine or champagne.